Belgium Will Melt Down
Coins as Euro Takes Over

Dow Jones Newswires

Updated Sept. 8, 1998 12:01 a.m. ET

BRUSSELS -- The Belgian government plans to melt down the two billion national coins withdrawn from circulation during the changeover to the euro and eventually resell the bulk metal yield, Finance Minister Jean-Jacques Viseur said Monday.

At a ceremony held at the Belgian mint to mark the minting of the first euro coins, Mr. Viseur said in response to a question that "the plan is to resell the metal to interested parties."...